No particular incidents have marked the march from Graysville, Ga., to this place except the heroic endurance of the troops, which has been beyond all praise. They have made long and forced marches on short rations and with insufficient clothing, too many of the men marching barefooted over the frozen ground, yet all has been cheerfully borne, officers and men being animated by the desire of relieving Major-General Burnside and his troops from their imprisonment and of capturing the famed General Longstreet and his army.

I have the honor to transmit herewith the accompanying reports of regimental commanders.

I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN MASON LOOMIS,

Colonel 26th Illinois Infty., Comdg. 1st Brig., 4th Div., 15th A. C.

Captain J. D. McFARLAND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 53.

Itinerary of the Second Brigade, Second Cavalry Division (Army of the Cumberland), Colonel Eli Long commanding.*

December 1, brigade marched from Benton, Tennessee, to Columbia, Tennessee, and thence to Athens via Charleston. From Athens the brigade marched in advance of General Sherman's command to Loudon, near with place the advance regiment met a force of rebel cavalry. Routed them and took 30 prisoners, losing 1 man killed and 2 wounded.

December 3, Colonel Long being ordered to move forward to Knoxville and open communication with General Burnside, crossed Little Tennessee River and marched via Maryville, reaching Knoxville early next morning.

On the nigh of the 6th, pursuant to orders from General Sherman, brigade marched to Maryville, and from here started in pursuit of a rebel wagon train, and followed it across the mountains into North Carolina, encountering no resistance, except from a small force of rebel cavalry at Murphy, N. C.

December 11, started back, and arrived at Calhoun, Tennessee, December 15. On the 1st, a detachment of the Third U. S. Cavalry was added to the command and relieved on arrival at Calhoun. The Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry being temporarily attached, a line of couriers was established to Loudon and Kingston, and communication opened with Chattanooga in same manner. The Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry was sent to Columbus, Tennessee, on the Hiwassee River, to guard that point and the adjacent fords.

December 22, the courier post at Cleveland was attacked by 60 rebel cavalry and had 1 man wounded. Rebel casualties, 2 wounded.

December 28, General Wheeler, with 1,500 rebel cavalry and some artillery, attacked a wagon train, moving to Knoxville from Chattanooga, and escorted by infantry, convalescents, &c. Colonel Long at once mounted the small portion of his command not on duty (less than 150 men) and charged the enemy, whose ranks had been broken

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*From return for December. The Ninety-eighth Illinois, Seventeenth Indiana, and detachments of the Fourth Michigan and Third U. S. Cavalry Regiments were attached to this command.

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